Stephens College, the second-oldest women’s college in the United States, will start admitting transgender women students beginning in Autumn of 2019.

“Stephens College’s undergraduate residential program is a single-sex institution. That means it admits and enrolls students whose application documentation (transcript, standardized test scores, application for federal financial aid, etc.) reports their sex as female,” reads the amended admissions policy.

While the school has, in the past, had transgender men as students, that is also now changing in the new policy.

“Because the College has expanded its definition of womanhood to include both sex and gender, it is logically consistent that it also acknowledges both sex and gender in its definition of manhood.”

“As a result, the College will stop admitting and enrolling students who were born female but who now identify as men or who are transitioning from female to male,” reads the new policy. 

Related: All-women’s Wellesley College to admit transgender students

The policy also addresses non-binary students, saying they will “continue to admit and enroll students who were born female but who identify as non- binary, meaning students who experience their gender identity as falling outside the categories of man and woman,” but ruled out the admission of non-binary students who may opt to transition to male.

The policy has been under consideration at Stephens College since 2014, with the final decision on the change being unanimously approved by the college. 

Stephens College is one of many who have amended their policies. Smith College, the first female college founded by a woman in the United States, amended their policies in 2015 to include transgender women.

“The board’s decision affirms Smith’s unwavering mission and identity as a women’s college, our commitment to representing the diversity of women’s lived experiences, and the college’s exceptional role in the advancement of women worldwide,” said Smith College’s state, posted on their website at the time.

Mount Holyoke College, the oldest women’s college in the United States, also welcomes transgender women into their undergraduate program.